Jack Baker, the wag and wit of Virginia, was an auditor in the gallery of the House.  Randolph, as usual, was the assailant, and was very severe.  McDuffie replied, and was equally caustic, and this to the astonishment of every one; for all supposed the young member was annihilated—­as so many before had been by Randolph—­and would not reply.  His antagonist was completely taken aback, and evidently felt, with Sir Andrew Ague-cheek:  “Had I known he was so cunning of fence, I had seen him damned ere I had fought him.”  But he was in for it, and must reply.  His rejoinder was angry, and wanting in his usual biting sarcasm.  McDuffie rose to reply, and, pausing, seemed to hesitate, when Baker from the gallery audibly exclaimed:  “Lay on, McDuff, and damned be he who first cries hold, enough!” The silence which pervaded the chamber was broken by a general laugh, greatly disconcerting Randolph, but seeming to inspire McDuffie, who went on in a strain of vituperation witheringly pungent, in the midst of which Mr. Randolph left his seat and the House.  Here was a triumph few had enjoyed.  Not even Bayard, in his famous attack upon Randolph, when the latter first came into Congress, had won so much.  Every one seemed delighted.  The newspapers heralded it to the country, and McDuffie had a national reputation.  Everything seemed propitious for his fame, and every friend of Mr. Calhoun felt that he had a champion in his protege, who, in good service, would return him fourfold for his noble generosity to the boy.

The contest with Cumming whetted more sharply the edge of the animosity between Georgia and South Carolina.  The two were considered the champions of their respective States, as also the chosen knights of their respective friends—­Crawford and Calhoun.  The States and the friends of the parties in this quarrel very soon arrayed themselves in antagonism, which was made personal on many occasions, and between many parties.  The young were especially prominent in their demonstrations of hostile feeling, not excepting the belles of the respective States.  Between them, I believe, it never went beyond words; but they were frequent in conflict, and sometimes very bitter and very witty ones escaped from lovely lips, attesting that the face of beauty was underlaid with passion’s deformity.  With the young gallants it went to blows, and, on a few occasions, to more deadly strife; and always marred the harmony of the association where there were young representatives of both States.  On one occasion of social meeting at a public dinner-party in Georgia, a young South Carolinian gave as a sentiment:  “George McDuffie—­the pride of South Carolina.”  This was immediately responded to by Mirabeau B. Lamar, the late President of Texas, who was then young, and a great pet of his friends, with another:  “Colonel William Cumming—­

  “The man who England’s arms defied,
    A bar to base designers;
  Who checked alike old Britain’s pride
    And noisy South Carolina’s.”